Confrontation
by Adam Shmadam
Summary: Lucien lays down the law with someone close to Jean. Takes place late February 1961.
1. Chapter 1

It had been a long, frustrating afternoon at the hospital and Lucien was looking forward to being home at last. He wanted nothing more than a nice meal and to spend some time in the calming presence of the lovely Jean, who was inexplicably marrying him a mere month from now. He smiled to himself as he thought of how much he had changed – it was not that long ago that the thought of Lucien Blake being such a homebody would have been laughable. His whimsical musings were interrupted by the unexpected sound of raised voices coming from the sitting room. He quickened his pace down the hall, bracing himself for he knew not what. He was shocked to find Jean, fighting back tears, and her younger son, Jack, who looked very pleased with himself.

"If it isn't the groom now! I was just chatting with mum here about if I'm to have a little brother or sister…I mean, that's why you are marrying her, isn't it, doctor?" the young man sneered.

"Outside."

Lucien didn't raise his voice, but there was an undeniable, dangerous edge to it.

"Now," the edge was sharper.

Jean had thought she had seen all of Lucien, all of his anger and frustration and sadness and joy, but this was something altogether different. She was used to seeing his anger more inwardly directed, but now to see it so concentrated at someone -someone she loved- a shiver went down her spine. Before she had a chance to recover from the momentary shock, the men had left.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

In those few steps back down the hall and out to the drive, Lucien concentrated all his effort on not doing physical harm to Jean's son. It had been a very long time, if ever, that he had felt such incandescent rage. He had known, somewhat academically, what rumors had been circulating about he and Jean, but to be confronted with it, and in such crass a fashion from her very own son, pushed his self-control to the brink. He felt the sting of his fingernails as they dug into his palms.

"You're not my father, so spare me the lecture," Jack spat. Lucien wheeled around.

"Be grateful I'm not your father, because if I were, I would knock you into next week for speaking that way about your mother," his tone of voice making it clear that he might just do that anyway.

Jack merely took a step closer, as if he wanted Lucien to punch him.

"After everything your mother has gone through, she deserves better, especially from you."

"Why?"

"Because you're her son! Because she loves you, and worries for you, and only ever has wanted the best for you, for you to be safe and happy."

Lucien took a deep breath and held out his hand.

"Come to the wedding, please,"

"You're inviting me…to the wedding?" Jack asked, incredulous.

"It would make her happy, so yes, I would like you to come."

The younger man just shook he head slowly, eyes fixed on Lucien's outstretched arm.

"You're not fourteen anymore, Jack, so maybe you should stop acting like it."

"You don't know anything!" the young man shouted at him.

"I know that your mother loved your father very much, and that he loved her," he shrugged. "And that's all I need to know," the anger in his voice dissipating.

He continued,

"The first thing that crosses my mind every single bloody morning is why on earth did I survive and good men like your father didn't…I can't explain it, and I certainly didn't ask for it…But then the second thing that crosses my mind is how lucky I am to know your mother and be loved by her, and that I have a chance to make her happy."

Jack just stood there, staring.

"Think about the 25th, for her sake. In the meantime, you _will_ respect your mother. And if you don't, I _will_ gladly punch you in the throat."

Lucien turned on his heel and briskly walked down the drive, not trusting in his temper any longer.


	2. Chapter 2

It was quite a bit later before she had the chance to search for him. She was about to take the car and start driving towards the lake, when she spied his familiar outline sitting in the grass at the bottom of the garden. His back was to her, a silhouette against the western sky. Just at that moment, the sunset was an explosion of reds and oranges and purples and she suddenly understood why he was sitting there. If he heard her approach, he didn't show it.

When the fog of his anger dissipated and his rational mind caught up with him, he was halfway to Wendouree. He had intended to merely get some distance between himself and Jack, before he really did hit him, but he hadn't intended to go quite that far, in case Jean needed him. Swearing at himself, he practically ran back, approaching just in time to see Jack turn on his heel and head back towards town. Charlie's car was in the drive now, and he could hear the usual sounds of clamoring pots and pans through an open window. He felt the now familiar tug of home, but resisted it – he needed a good long think before facing Jean.

He was ostensibly watching the sunset, but his mind registered none of it. He was concentrating so much, that he had only noticed her soft footfalls just before she was upon him.

"Hi," she said softly, as if she were trying to calm a startled horse.

"Hi," his smile didn't quite meet his eyes.

She sat herself on the ground beside him, and his heart gave a little flutter when she threaded her arm through his.

 _It's going to be alright._

She was always beautiful, but he thought she was particularly so in the slowly changing light. She seemed to glow, and the atmosphere around her seemed to be softer and sweeter, somehow. Her red-rimmed eyes bore the only evidence that she had been crying, and the fact that that sight was a familiar one to him, rankled.

"You don't have to stay out here," she coaxed.

"I wasn't sure of my welcome, after threatening your son with bodily harm."

"Oh, Lucien. This is your home."

"It's always been more your home, than it has ever been mine," he smiled again, this time a little more brightly.

He turned his head and gave her a soft kiss to her temple, and she leaned into him a bit more.

"I've made things harder between the two of you, and I am truly sorry."

"I don't know about that. After you left, we talked…well, mostly he just sobbed in my arms, but…I think you managed to get through to him when I couldn't…or wouldn't."

They sat and watched the sunset for a moment. He nodded his head towards a large gap in the trees surrounding the Blake property.

"When I was a boy, maybe 5 or 6, there was a terrific storm, and a huge tree, just there, was struck by lightning. It made the most almighty crash…I thought the world was going to end right then and there. Afterwards, my father was determined to plant another tree there, but in the end, my mother convinced him to leave the gap, so she could watch the sunsets better."

"Sounds like them," she answered.

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?"

He kissed her temple again.

"Jean, I know you don't need protecting, but I'm always going to keep trying."

"I know."

She cupped his cheek with her free hand, stroking his beard with her thumb. He sighed into her as their lips met. By the time they managed to get themselves into the house, it was nearly dark.


End file.
